E. O. Wilson

E. O. Wilson (1929–2021) was an American biologist and naturalist whose studies of ants helped shape sociobiology and whose writing championed biodiversity conservation.

Bert Hölldobler: A German-American myrmecologist known for research on ant behavior and for collaborating with E. O. Wilson. Their joint research and books became central to modern ant biology.
Pheromone: A chemical signal released by an organism that alters the behavior or physiology of other members of its species. Ants use pheromones to recruit nestmates and coordinate collective activity.
Biodiversity: The variety of life across genes, species, and ecosystems, together with their ecological relationships. Wilson made biodiversity a central subject of scientific and public concern.
Sociobiology: The study of the biological bases of social behavior across animals, including humans. Wilson’s 1975 book gave the field its most influential and controversial synthesis.
Sociobiology: The New Synthesis: E. O. Wilson’s 1975 book proposing a broad evolutionary study of the biological basis of social behavior. The book established Wilson’s sociobiological program and triggered intense controversy.
Charles Darwin: The English naturalist who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. Wilson extended evolutionary explanations to social behavior, building on Darwinian theory.
Ant colony: A social unit of ants organized around a nest, with cooperative brood care and often specialized roles. Wilson examined colonies as integrated systems shaped by behavior and evolution.
Half-Earth: A conservation proposal to protect half the planet’s land and sea for nature. Wilson argued that protecting vast connected areas could prevent mass extinctions.
Human behavioral ecology: The study of how evolutionary processes shape human behavior in relation to ecological conditions. It offers an evolutionary approach to human behavior with a distinct research tradition.
The Ants: A 1990 scientific monograph on ant biology by Bert Hölldobler and E. O. Wilson. This comprehensive synthesis earned its authors the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction.

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